BARISAN Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) ushered in a new era of unity in Sabah politics as both coalitions campaigned side by side for PH candidate for Tanjung Aru, Datuk Chan Foong Hin from DAP.
The presence of BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and DAP deputy secretary-general Hannah Yeoh together was meant to not only to send a message of a unified stand, but also to shore up momentum for Chan’s campaign in the 17th Sabah state election.
Zambry described the night’s atmosphere, with the presence of BN and PH as symbolic of the ties that have been fostered under the Unity Government since three years ago.
“I see two colours grabbing my attention. The blue and the red, that’s the strength we show in the name of the Unity Government where we can gather, unite between blue and red,” he said during his speech in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, in the presence of DAP vice chairman Syahredzan Johan and Putatan UMNO deputy chief Reduan Aklee.
“The blue and red, ladies and gentlemen, isn’t the first time… it has been three years already. I’m confident, with the spirit we show, the understanding we have, our cooperation...we all represent one government, the Unity Government, the MADANI Government, for our country, for stability and for our prosperity,” he added as reported by Bernama.
Zambry said the choice of Chan as Tanjung Aru’s candidate provided a significant advantage to residents as the combination of Chan as Kota Kinabalu MP and Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister would be a two-fold benefit to the constituency.
He described the ‘Kasi Chan sama Chan’ campaign tagline as a creative idea and the candidate’s willingness to continue to serve the public.
Meanwhile, Hannah described the BN and PH campaign in Tanjung Aru as a really new political moment for Sabah.
“This is the first time. This campaign is reflective of what is happening at the Federal level where once we were rivals, now you work together for the good of the people. And when you combine forces and everybody is giving their best and working hard, you can see a lot of results,” she told Bernama, stressing that the cooperation showcased how the spirit of the Unity Government translated to activities on the ground.
“Sabah election, you can see a lot of candidates but that means nothing if the candidate is substandard. Most important is somebody with a proven record… even though he's a deputy minister, every weekend he makes it a point to be in Sabah. That is the kind of representative you actually want,” she added.
Sabah voters will cast their ballots on Nov 29, with early voting taking place on Nov 25. - November 22, 2025
